Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea), male
Red-billed Quelea, Male

Red-billed Quelea

Quelea quelea

The Red-billed Quelea, also known as the Red-billed Weaver or Red-billed Dioch, is a diminutive migratory bird, part of the weaver family Ploceidae. It measures approximately 12 cm in length and weighs between 15 to 26 grams. This sparrow-like bird is native to the vast expanses of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Identification Tips

The Red-billed Quelea is characterized by its heavy, cone-shaped bill, which is red in non-breeding males and females, and orange to yellow in breeding females. Breeding males are distinguished by a black or occasionally white facial mask, surrounded by a colorful wash on the head and breast, which can be purplish, pinkish, rusty, or yellowish. Non-breeding plumage is less vibrant, with light underparts and striped brown upper parts.

Habitat

This species typically inhabits tropical and subtropical areas with a seasonal semi-arid climate, avoiding dense forests, deserts, and colder regions. It is often found in dry thornbush grasslands, including the Sahel, and requires proximity to water sources for daily drinking.

Distribution

The Red-billed Quelea's distribution covers most of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a highly migratory bird, moving seasonally in response to the availability of its primary food source, seeds of annual grasses.

Behaviour

With an estimated population sometimes peaking at 1.5 billion individuals post-breeding, the Red-billed Quelea is considered the most numerous undomesticated bird on the planet. It forms colossal colonies for breeding and feeds in immense flocks that can number in the millions.

Song & Calls

The species produces a variety of sounds, including a distinctive noise from the wingbeats of flying flocks. Males sing in short bursts, starting with chatter followed by a warbling tune. Both sexes call, and the collective noise at roosts or nesting sites can be quite intense.

Breeding

Breeding occurs in very large colonies, with the construction of oval roofed nests woven from grass and suspended from thorny branches or reeds. The breeding cycle is one of the shortest known in birds, with incubation lasting only nine or ten days.

Similar Species

The female Pin-tailed Whydah may be confused with the Red-billed Quelea in non-breeding plumage, but it can be distinguished by its whitish brow and black stripe through the eye.

Diet and Feeding

The Red-billed Quelea primarily feeds on seeds of annual grasses, but it also causes significant damage to cereal crops, earning it the moniker "Africa's feathered locust." It feeds in large flocks, with a rolling cloud-like movement that allows efficient exploitation of food sources.

Conservation Status

Despite its reputation as a pest, the Red-billed Quelea is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, due to its vast distribution and enormous population numbers.

Red-billed Quelea Sounds

β€Œ
Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Red-billed Queleas on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Weavers, Widowbirds

A photo of a Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons) , male

Thick-billed Weaver

Amblyospiza albifrons
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter πŸ˜ƒ
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life PokΓ©mon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright Β© 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.